Control of electrical power consumption in work areas including office spaces, medical facilities, and hospitality areas is becoming more important as operators of such areas look for ways to reduce energy consumption, and in particular needless energy consumption. For example, in air conditioned work spaces that are maintained as a pre-selected temperature, some users of that work area may be uncomfortably cool and will install space heaters for their particular work areas, which consume large amounts of power to heat areas that a larger HVAC system is consuming energy to cool, and which will continue to consume large amounts of power if they are not turned off when they are not in use. Other appliances or devices may consume significantly less power than electric space heaters, but these other devices often consume electrical power even when switched off, and when large work areas with many outlets are considered, the power uselessly consumed by many appliances or devices can add up to significant energy consumption even during periods of non-use.